


An Ode to Gramble

by constellraetion



Category: Bugsnax (Video Game)
Genre: F/M, Gramble is not a Faultless Baby incapable of doing anything wrong, Healthy Communication, Reconciliation, So is anyone else going to make this work or is it just me?, Talking, The Journalist is there too for just a few lines, Wiggle and Gramble talk about their feelings, canon compliant (probably)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-14
Updated: 2021-03-14
Packaged: 2021-03-22 08:00:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,339
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30035535
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/constellraetion/pseuds/constellraetion
Summary: “I didn’t want to believe you when you said that- that they just wanted to go back to livin’ in the wild, even though they were always findin’ ways to escape no matter how hard I tried to keep ‘em. I guess I always knew deep down..” Gramble whimpered before he let out a weak laugh.____________________________There's several hours of nothing to do during the trip back to the mainland following their escape from Snaktooth Island, Wiggle and Gramble spend it working things out.
Relationships: Gramble Gigglefunny/Wiggle Wigglebottom
Comments: 20
Kudos: 37





	An Ode to Gramble

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: Yeah I know about the "canon" ages in the AMA but they don't make sense so I'm going to pretend I didn't hear about them, as far as I'm concerned Gramble is in his mid-twenties, Wiggle is in her late-twenties, and thats the only canon I believe in.

The deck of the ship was consumed by a somber atmosphere as the survivors watched their home of the past year grow smaller and smaller- the plume of smoke rising from the volcano a chilling reminder of what they’d all just gone through.

Perched at the very back of the vessel, Gramble sat next to Wiggle, his knees pulled up to his chest as he glanced up at the Journalist, who was standing at the helm, their expression carefully schooled into a neutral look as they held onto the steering wheel. Looking to the side, he watched as Wiggle dozed off. Her eyes were closed, head drooping slowly, her star-shaped glasses- slightly bent -were sliding off her face, and her boa- rumpled with some of the feathers torn out -began to slip off her shoulders.

Reaching up, he carefully fixed her accessories, freezing when her eyes fluttered open. “Fancy meeting you here, darling,” she gave him a tired wink before yawning as he leaned back and buried his face in his arms once more. Wiggle scanned the rest of the ship- noting how the others had either fallen asleep or were staring into the distance with empty eyes. “Can’t sleep, huh?”

“..No, couldn’t sleep on the island, can’t really sleep now either,” he mumbled, turning away so he wouldn’t have to meet her gaze.

She watched him for a moment, ignoring the slight itch in her snakified limbs before she reached over to clean away a patch of snakmatter from Gramble’s cheek, flinching away when he whipped around to look at her. “Gramble.. is something wrong?”

“Is- is somethin’ wrong?  _ Is somethin’ wrong?!” _ he whisper shouted, eyes flicking back to the Journalist, who’d apparently tied the wheel into position and was now kneeling by an unconscious Filbo, carefully moving him so he wouldn’t get a crick in his neck when he awoke later. “Wiggle, we coulda’ died on that Island! We barely made it off Snaktooth.. Lizbert and Eggabell are gone, and- and the entire time we were fightin’ for our lives back there I was-” Gramble stopped short, a sniffle escaping him as he pressed the heels of his paws against his eyes, “When you and the Journalist were tryin’ so hard to fight back against the snax.. all I could think about was how I wanted everything to go back to normal.”

Wiggle hesitated. The entire time she’d been on Snaktooth she and Gramble had what she would describe as a  _ tentative _ relationship. Gramble welcomed her interest in him, but when it came to choosing her over his snax, well, she’d accepted that she would always play second fiddle compared to his pets. Of course it stung, for him to prioritize them over her, but she understood.

Her affections were a risk, and if she were being honest, she hadn’t exactly been without her vices. “I’m sorry, Gramble.. but sweetie believe me, I understand how you feel-” Her words were cut off as he growled under his breath in response.

He looked up at her with teary eyes, a frustrated expression on his face that reminded him of the first few times she’d seen his reaction after finding his barn snax missing, up until the enraged distress was replaced by anxious acceptance. “I knew they were comin’ for us, that they didn’t plan on letting us leave- but I still thought that maybe, maybe things could still be okay? But.. my own snax went n’ left me, and they didn’t come back even though I tried to take such good care of them..” Her paw settled on his shoulder as he spoke, voice trembling. 

“I didn’t want to believe you when you said that- that they just wanted to go back to livin’ in the wild, even though they were always findin’ ways to escape no matter how hard I tried to keep ‘em. I guess I always knew deep down..” Gramble whimpered before he let out a weak laugh, “But I knew you liked me, it wasn’t hard to tell, what with your singin’ and askin’ me to spend time with you. I was just so busy with my snax, and I was worried-”

“You were worried I’d eat them, I know,” Wiggle squeezed his shoulder as she sighed, “I won’t lie, Darling, the thought crossed my mind more than once, but.. you know I liked you for more than just your snax, right? I’m not gonna make excuses for myself and say that it was fine for me to treat you that way..” She watched as his expression went from tired to confused to surprised.

Gramble shook her off and stood, his eyes meeting hers as he clenched his paws.  _ “No,  _ Wiggle, you don’t get it! I knew about that- I knew you wanted my snax, and I- I got so mad at the others.. Wambus and Filbo were always sneakin’ off with them, or lyin’ about wanting to look after them. At least you were honest about it... I just figured that if you really liked me for me you’d stop eventually, but I knew as long as l kept my snax, you’d keep coming back to see me, and- and I was scared that without ‘em-” his expression crumpled into quiet sobs,  _ “Wiggle I’m sorry! _ I didn’t mean to-”

His cries were cut off as he was enveloped in a snug embrace, his face pressed against Wiggle’s fur- soft even when covered in ash and snak debris. “Oh sweetie,” she lightly stroked the back of his head with her paw, dutifully ignoring his tears on her pelt. “We’ve both made mistakes, but nobody’s perfect, and now that we’re away from that awful island, we can work things out together.  _ Without _ bugsnax getting in the way.” Gramble pulled back slightly and looked up at her, nodding as he wiped his eyes with the back of one paw.

“Yeah.. yeah! I’d really like that,” he said softly. “I wanna get to know the real Wiggle Wigglebottom.”

She grinned, winking at him lazily, “And I’m excited to know more about this Gramble Gigglefunny I’ve heard about, some say he’s quite the character!” They both laughed quietly to themselves before Wiggle’s eyes widened suddenly. “Oh my goodness, I’ve just had an epiphany! Quick, quick! Do you have any paper on you?”

Gramble stared at her in surprise before shaking his head no, watching as Wiggle’s head whipped around before lavender colored paws offered up a sheet of paper and pencil to her. The two of them looked up to see the Journalist smiling down at them before they gestured for her to take the writing implements once more. “Darling you’re a lifesaver!” she cheered, placing the paper against the deck of the boat and scribbling a few lines down, her eyes scanning the page before her paws reached behind her for her banjo.

He didn’t know how long he watched her for, in between listening to her play and seeing her write, he was surprised when he looked up to see the rest of the grumpuses rousing themselves from slumber and working to help the Journalist and Filbo dock the boat against the shore of the mainland- New Grump City’s skyline visible in the distance. At his side, Wiggle played a final chord before she leaned back against the wood, a genuine smile on her face as she looked back at him.

“It might not be a new hit..  _ but _ I think it might be my best work yet,” she said fondly, pushing herself up and onto her feet.

Moving to stand with her, Gramble followed her off the ship, a glimmer in his eyes that hadn’t been there for a long time. “Thats great, Wiggle! What are you gonna call it?”

She hummed the tune she’d been working on as they stepped onto the beach. The rest of the grumpuses were staring back at the smoking island far behind them while she turned to look at him.

“I think I’ll call it.. _An_ _ Ode to Gramble.” _

  
  


**Author's Note:**

> Stop Treating Black Coded Characters Like Theyre Predatory and Abusive For Having Flaws 2k21  
> (Also you guys realize that people can and do mess up in relationships and that doesn't mean said relationship is toxic or abusive right? right????????//)


End file.
